Structures which include a series of beams laterally separated from each other, such as roofs, currently make use of wooden "bridging" for interconnecting the beams and supporting the overlying flat portions of roofs. Such wooden bridging or bracing typically consists of multiple pieces which can be assembled only at the construction site and only by cutting into the beams to be connected. For example, in constructing a gable overhang for a roof, sections of the rafter from which the overhang extends (the "stable rafter") must be cut out. Then, wooden 2.times.4's known as "outriggers" are placed into the sections perpendicular to the rafter. A second wooden piece then needs to be attached underneath the outrigger between the stable and the rafter at the edge of the roof overhang so as to give the connection between the rafters sufficient permanence and to support the overlying flat portions of the gable roof overhang.
Such wooden bridging, the process of creating such bridging, and the process of connecting beams with such bridging is needlessly cumbersome and labor-consuming. Multiple pieces of wood need to be cut and assembled at the site; beams must be measured and cut after they have been installed in the structure. In addition, such wooden bridging is prone to decay over time, especially when exposed to the elements. Thus, the beam interconnections are weakened, and the flat portions of the roof, floor, or other structure supported by the interconnected beams buckle or sag.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an article to interconnect beams which is strong, durable, and easy-to-use, and overcomes shortcomings and failings of the prior art. There is also a need for a method to economically fabricate such articles and interconnect beams without the excessive labor and cumbersome procedures of the prior art.